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Two new vaccinations have been added to the state schedule, which the City will administer free of charge to children during immunisation awareness week.
INFANTS and young children will receive a health helping hand this week when the City's health department provides two new vaccines free of charge alongside others in the state immunisation schedule as part of the fight to reduce childhood illnesses and deaths.
Every year one week is set aside to raise awareness about vaccination and immunisation. "South Africa follows the World Health Organization-recommended immunisation schedule, whereby infants are routinely vaccinated against vaccine-preventable childhood diseases," says Nkosinathi Nkabinde, the department's spokesperson.
The City's healt department provides two new vaccines
"Immunisation is one of the greatest medical achievements in human history, and has saved millions of lives. Many serious childhood diseases are preventable by using vaccines routinely recommended for children. Since the introduction of vaccines, rates of diseases such as polio and measles have markedly declined."
Immunisation Awareness Week started on 1 August and runs until 9 August. It runs parallel to the national rollout of the rotavirus vaccine and the pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV), which was added to the national immunisation schedule in April. The PCV is administered to prevent pneumonia, meningitis and ear infections caused by the streptococcus bacteria.
In this way, it cuts childhood mortality, especially in places with limited access to health care, says Nkabinde.
Essential
Immunisation is essential, he says, in that it "not only protects the individual but also curbs the spread of disease within the community. Individuals who are not immunised have an increased risk of contracting diseases vaccines can prevent. Vaccines are administered free of charge in clinics."
He says introducing the two new vaccines - administered for free in public health facilities - is expected to significantly reduce childhood illnesses and deaths.
Rotavirus is a contagious infection that is common among children and infants; it causes severe diarrhoea. Almost all children are infected with rotavirus at some stage before they are five, and can be re-infected several times in their lives.
Nkabinde says it can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and death. "This problem is particularly common in under-developed and developing countries as infected children may not reach a hospital in time and are thus likely to succumb to the disease."
Symptoms include high temperatures or fevers, an upset stomach and vomiting that is followed by diarrhoea, which lasts for three to seven days. The virus enters the body through the mouth and infects the bowel lining.
It is spread through contaminated hands, or objects such as toys, or food, says Nkabinde. The rota vaccine will not prevent diarrhoea and vomiting caused by other infections - it only prevents the diarrhoea and vomiting that results from the rotavirus.
It is an oral vaccine given in two doses, administered to infants at the age of six weeks and 14 weeks.
Schedule
The new immunisation schedule, with the two new vaccinations, runs from birth to 12. "Parents and caregivers should take note that there is a slight chance that the virus will be excreted in the bowel actions but only after the first rotavirus vaccine is administered.
"This increases the risk of the virus being transmitted to individuals who have not had the vaccine and have not built up natural immunity. To minimise this risk, it is recommended that parents and carers follow strict hand-washing guidelines and disposal of nappies for up to seven days after vaccination," says Nkabinde.
At birth, a polio vaccine and a BCG vaccine against tuberculosis is given. At six weeks a polio vaccine booster is given, along with a PCV, which causes meningitis, an infection of the lining of the brain, pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, blood and ear infections caused by pneumococcal infections; a rotavirus vaccine; a DTP vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or whooping cough; a HIB vaccine against haemophilus influenza type B; and a hepatitis B vaccine against liver disease.
At 10 weeks, another polio vaccine booster is given, along with a DTP booster, a HIB booster and a hepatitis B booster. Then, at 14 weeks, there is another polio booster, another DTP booster, another hepatitis B booster, another HIB booster, a PCV booster and a rotavirus booster.
Nine-month-old babies get a measles vaccine and a PCV booster; 18-month-old babies get a measles booster, a DTP booster, a HIB booster and a polio booster. Six-year-old and 12-year-old children get diphtheria and tetanus (DT) boosters.
There will be no catch-up programme for older children who have missed the opportunity for the rotavirus vaccination, says Nkabinde. Children who are six weeks by 1 August will be eligible for the vaccine.
The department of health urges all parents, caregivers and educators to take full advantage of the opportunity for vaccinations during the immunisation week by taking their children and babies for injections. Nkabinde says more information is available at all health facilities.
The new immunisation schedule:
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At birth
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polio vaccine, BCG - vaccine against tuberculosis (TB)
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6 weeks
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polio vaccine, PCV, rotavirus vaccine, DTP vaccine, HIB vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine
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10 weeks
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polio vaccine, DTP vaccine, HIB vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine
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14 weeks
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polio vaccine, DTP vaccine, HIB vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, PCV, rotavirus vaccine
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9 months
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measles vaccine, PCV
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18 months
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measles vaccine, DTP vaccine, HIB vaccine, polio vaccine
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6 years
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TD vaccine
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12 years
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TD vaccine
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Vaccine against:
- DTP - diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)
- TD - tetanus and diphtheria
- HIB - haemophilus influenza type B
- PCV - pneumococcal diseases (meningitis, pneumonia, blood and ear infections)
- Rotavirus - diarrhoea caused by rotavirus
- Hepatitis - liver disease
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